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Guilty Verdict In Pocomoke Shooting Case

SNOW HILL – A Fort Washington, Md. man faces life in prison this week after being found guilty on attempted murder and other charges for a shooting incident in Pocomoke last May.

Last Friday, Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Richard Bloxom found Alexander Crippen, 36, of Fort Washington, guilty on attempted first-and second-degree murder charges following a two-day trial in Snow Hill last week. At the close of the trial last Tuesday, Bloxom reserved judgment to further review the evidence and scheduled a disposition hearing on Friday.

At Crippen’s disposition hearing, Bloxom found the defendant guilty of first- and second-degree attempted murder and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered at the request of the state. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and prosecutors have said they will seek the maximum. Crippen had been indicted on first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of Reginald Handy in Pocomoke last May, but prosecutors dropped that charge after finding the evidence would have made it difficult to gain a conviction.

Instead, Crippen was charged with attempted murder for shooting at another victim, identified as Torrance Davis, during the same incident. Around 10:30 p.m. on May 27, Pocomoke Police responded to reports of gunfire in the area of Laurel Street. Upon arrival, police discovered Handy had been shot several times from behind. He was taken to PRMC where he was pronounced dead.

According to police reports, a witness observed an unknown man approach the Laurel Street area and exchange words with Handy. The verbal altercation turned deadly when the still unknown suspect fired a handgun several times at Handy, striking him in the back, while firing additional shots at another man, later identified as Torrance Davis, who was not struck.

The Worcester County Bureau of Investigaton (WCBI) arrived on the scene a short time later and started to piece together evidence and witness testimony. Crippen was identified as the suspect and was later located in a motel room in Delaware, where he was staying under a false name.